


Embracing Chaos and Unpredicitibility

by ThroughtheMirrorDarkly



Series: The Mysterious Case of Addison Clarke [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Anxiety, Awesome Darcy Lewis, BAMF Women, Darcy Lewis Is a Good Bro, F/M, Minor Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, More Tags Pending, Original Character(s), Secrets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-12-09 10:10:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11667003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThroughtheMirrorDarkly/pseuds/ThroughtheMirrorDarkly
Summary: Disclaimer: I don’t own anything from the Avengers, or Marvel Comics. This is for amusement purposes only. Hope you all enjoy.Summary: Addison Clarke never imagined working in same building that the Avengers lived in, but thanks to a desperate plea from her best friend, Darcy Lewis, she gets roped into the quirky world of superheroes and science wrangling. But Addison is not without her secrets, and the ones she holds tight could threaten to tear the Avengers’ world apart.Timeline: Set seven months after the AvengersSet four months after Thor: Dark WorldSet before Captain America: Winter SoldierI’m not sure about the canon timeline of these movies right off the top of my head, but this is the timeline for the story. Major differences are Thor returned to earth to be with Jane after the loss of his mother and supposed loss of his brother.  Any other changes will be explained as the story goes.





	1. The Best Foot Forward

* * *

“Embracing Chaos and Unpredictability” 

By ThroughtheMirrorDarkly

* * *

Chapter One 

“The Best Foot Forward”

Addison Clarke had no idea why she had given in. 

No, she knew why she had given in. Her best friend, Darcy, always knew how to make her resolve crumble like it was nothing more than a sand castle smashed down by the angry ocean tide. One puppy dog look and promise of baked goods, and Addison agreed to come to this job interview though she did not believe she had a chance at getting. No matter how ‘buddy buddy’ Darcy proclaimed to be with the famed Pepper Potts, Addison knew there were a lot of people with a better resume than she that would be vying for the job. She even pointed this out to Darcy last night when they revisited the discussion, but Darcy blew a raspberry, then told Addison to grow a pair and seize the chance because she was tired of being the only normal person in the Tower—bar Pepper and somewhat Jane—and she needed another _normal_ person who had to deal with the throes of insanity. 

The irony of the normal statement was one that she was painfully unaware of, and it made Addison swallow down the rest of her protests. She could, at least, go into the interview, and _try._ It would stop Darcy from hounding her with threaten text messages over what would happen to her if she skipped said interview, and she really didn’t have anything to do as it was today. But her common sense rattled around in her skull, practically vibrating as it shouted at her, _Are you an idiot? You’ll get too close! You get too close, and you won’t be able to hide. Where is your sense of self-preservation?_

Too bad for her common sense that Darcy tended to be a lot louder and more difficult than it. 

After examining herself critically in the mirror for what felt like forever, Addison settled on a simple silk blue button up top with short sleeves and a black pencil skirt that fell to just below her knees. Wearing a two inched black pumps with a bow on the front, she shoved her wide framed glasses back up to the bridge of her aquiline nose. A pair of large eyes the color of single-malt scotch framed by long, dark lashes stared back at her, and her reddish brown wavy hair had been tamed—for today at least—and pulled back into a simple ponytail. Her face was long and oval in shape with high swept cheek bones and pointed chin. She had lightly applied concealer on to cover up the dark circles underneath her eyes that were glaring against her snowy complexion, and used a light shade of pink lipstick on her cupid bow-shaped lips. Satisfied that she looked professional and that she meant business, Addison grabbed her purse and her jacket, leaving her apartment. Her apartment was nothing fancy, and in fact, it was closer to where drug trafficking always went down and not to mention a great number of recent shooting. It had gotten so bad that she requested to add an additional lock on the front door, and new ones for the windows. So far her requests had been looked at, but she had heard nothing from the landlord. _Sleazy, no good lout,_ Addison thought, sourly. Even since she had made it clear she had no interest in sleeping with him, he had made her life a living nightmare. The price of rent being jacked up, and a couple of times, he claimed she hadn’t paid it. Thankfully, Addison kept her receipts on all that stuff and corrected him. 

He was just one of many reasons she was desperate for a better job. She had been a paper pusher at Hammer Industries, for all of two weeks, but the chauvinistic attitude in that environment quickly had Addison quit without notice. A woman who worked there told her flat out the only way to climb that corporate latter was by letting the knees spread, and that was not the way Addison wanted to make a living. She’d rather work harder at a different place that valued her work and intelligence, instead of a place that put a price on what was between her legs. She wasn’t willing to sell her pride or soul, no matter what kind of money it was by the hour. Other women may not have the luxury of that option, but she still did. 

Addison had gotten a business degree from her local college before taking off for New York City. Maybe it was foolish notion to think that she could strike it out here in the concrete jungle, but hell, she had been safe her entire life. Was she not entitled to a little foolishness? Especially when she had such good company. Honestly, if Darcy wasn’t out here then Addison probably wouldn’t have gotten the guts to come out here, either. She would have probably gotten a job at some old store, and wasted away. After getting a taxi, Addison told him where she wanted to go and the driver looked at her as if she were playing a joke. It took her a couple of minutes to convince him that she was serious, and he looked rather pale the whole drive there like he was expecting to be attacked or something. 

It would have been comically, if Addison wasn’t already stressed enough as it was. Paying the taxi driver in cash, Addison got out and confronted the gleaming tower head on. It was truly a marvel of architecture standing impossibly tall and stretched up towards the sky, but also the design screamed, ‘Ego!’ As if that were enough, the giant A on the side had the subtle of a bull in a china shop. “Here goes nothing,” she whispered to herself, and approached the doors. Entering the building, she was—like many others—was faced with some pretty scary looking security. Addison had pretty much expected it. After all, the Avengers did have enemies. _Also some rather ‘enthusiastic’ fans, too, which were probably more of a problem than their enemies,_ she thought with an amusement tilt to her lips. Only an idiot would think they could simply waltz into the tower without so much as a how to do. 

She went through a metal detector, was patted down, and had her purse searched. She mentally thanked God that she was not on her period because it was always embarrassing to have someone open your purse and pull out tampons. A part of her never quite forgot the mortification of that mall trip with Darcy when they were teenagers and some old bat who had nothing better to do accused them of shop lifting and their purses were searched. They hadn’t shopped lifted, of course. Well, she _hadn’t._ If Darcy had nicked something, she had been clever enough to put it back without the security guard or old lady noticing. 

She gave her name to the security guard, and her reason for visiting. Once it was cleared over the phone that she was actually here for an interview, she was giving a visitors badge and told to scan it on the panel inside of the elevator. 

“Welcome to Avengers Tower, Addison Clarke,” a culture British voice, with a slightly mechanical trill came from seemingly nowhere and made her jump about a foot in the air. “Your floor is thirty-two, and best of luck to you in your interview.” 

Hand pressed against her chest where her heart had attempted to punch right through her ribcage, she glanced upward at the ceiling almost as if she would see something more than the little camera in the corner. “Hello, and uh, thanks,” she replied, feeling a tad foolish. Darcy had told her that JARVIS was like a real person almost—other than not being made of flesh and running the entire building—and could have conversations. But she wasn’t willing to pull full faith in Darcy. Darcy liked to play pranks, and it would be just like her to tell Addison something like that just to make her look insane for talking to something that was little more than building version of Siri. 

“You’re quite welcome,” the AI replied, before going silent. 

The elevator went up. And up. And up. 

Addison kept her eyes fixated on her reflection in the metal door, and winced at the slight ding that came with every floor it went up. Did Addison mention she was extremely afraid of heights? Yes, she was crippling afraid of them. She didn’t understand it herself. She had never fallen or gotten hurt when she was a child, but it was something instinctual. Her stomach seethed with the knowledge that she was close to being sky high, and her knees quaked slightly feeling a bit unsteady no matter how reassuring the solid ground beneath her feet was. 

The elevator stopped, but the number was on fifteen. The door slid open, and in came walking in easily the most gorgeous man she had ever seen in her entire life. He was over six feet tall with broad shoulders—God, did she love her some broad shoulders—and a hard muscled body that would have made Adonis envious. Dressed in a simple white t-shirt that was stained with sweat and grey slacks, his self-assured posture was that of a military man, a lot different than the cocky jock business types that usually ran around these places. He had a face that would have made Michelangelo weep for his strong jaw, and long aristocratic nose paired with a sensual mouth looked as if they had been carved out of marble. _Did I pass out?_ She thought, slightly dazed. _Is this a dream?_

The man entered the elevator, with just a quick look in her direction, before he turned to his companion. “Sure you are up for a run today, Sam?” He teased, with blue eyes alit with humor as he ran his hand through his short blond hair. 

Sam was slightly shorter than his mountain of a friend, but he was still impressive in his own right. He had a magnetism about him that screamed he had mischievous, playful side, but a kind heart beneath that was serious in its feelings, an all or nothing kind of man. His body was slimmer and leaner with define muscles, and his skin the color of milk chocolate and just as smooth. His handsome features were sharp as they were strong, and his brown eyes with flecks of garnet stared at his friend with a deadpanned look. “Hardy har har,” Sam said, scathingly. “You keep making jokes like that and you’ll have to find yourself a new work out partner.” 

“No, I won’t,” the blond said, matter-of-factly. It was obvious there was some inside joke about running going on between them. 

Sam just gave a weary sigh, and pushed the number for the first floor in. 

Addison bit her lower lip, her eyes darting away from both men before she got caught staring. It was going to be a long wait for both of them as the elevator took off upward, and she wrapped her arms around her stomach. _Should I say something? No, filling the silence would be bad, and knowing my faulty tongue I would say something embarrassing like, ‘How is the weather up there, you tall, tall drink of water?’ Shit, why is my mind so weird?_ Addison thought to herself, feeling a little antsy. Silence she could deal with when alone, but when there were people it was just very awkward and wholly uncomfortable. Even more so considering the enclosed space, and even though there was a great deal of room in the rather spacious elevator, the blond man stood only mere inches away from her. She could literally feel the heat coming off of him—the man was a furnace!—and she caught a hint of a musky, masculine smell of sweat with the faintest hint of sandal wood and something else she couldn’t define. 

_Addison, you have reached a new level of pathetic. Stop smelling the hunky stranger next to you, no matter how much it makes you feel like a cat who has gotten a whiff of catnip,_ she ordered, harshly. She reached up fixing her glass, nervously, and mournfully watched the numbers tick by on the elevator. Why did the elevator suddenly feel like it was going much slower than before? And it was unbearably hot, too. 

Carefully, Addison took off her jacket and folded it over her arm while expelling a slow breath. She was so focused on not making a fool of herself that she didn’t notice the shiny item slip out of the pocket of her jacket slowly. The elevator dinged, and the doors mercifully opened. Addison launched herself out of them, quick enough to make an escape, but slow enough that it didn’t look like running away. The cool air that wafted down from air vent helped sooth her inflamed face, but before she could even get five feet from the elevator, a voice called out to her. 

“Wait, miss!” It was hunky man’s voice. Who was hunky man talking to? It couldn’t be her, could it? 

Addison turned slow and uncertain because he could not be talking to her. Why would he be talking to her? Her brain farted trying to work out the possibilities, and her heart almost expired when she saw he was walking _towards_ her. Her legs twitched, her body at war with its fight or flight response, but in the end she stayed there rooted to the spot until he came up right to her. He held out something in the palm of his hand, and said, “You dropped this.” 

Addison blinked, blankly up at him before she looked down at his outstretched palm. “Oh. _Oh,”_ her tone changed, and her posture relaxed. “Oh, thank you,” Addison said, nearly tripping over her own feet to retrieve the locket. It had been her mother’s lucky locket; silver with whimsically engravings of flowers on the face, she treasured it dearly and its obscene size which was nearly two and half inches long was the only the only reason she didn’t wear it. Instead, she tucked it away in her jacket, and it must have fallen when she folded the jacket over her arm. Her finger tips brushed his as she slowly took the locket, and her breath stuttered at the sharp contrast of his callous fingers tips against her smooth ones. “I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost this,” she said, looking up at him with a sincere and grateful gaze. 

“You are welcome, Miss…” the man said, with a charming smile. That smile should have been illegal because who knew how many hearts it had stolen, and how many panties it had ruined. 

“Addison. Addison Clarke, that is who I am,” she said, fumbling with her words. She was so caught off guard by the gesture. No matter people would have bothered picking it up, and giving it back to her. “Thank you for saving my locket, Mister...?” 

He made a face like he couldn’t tell if she were being serious or not. “You don’t know?” He asked, slowly. His blue eyes scrutinized her face, and searched her for even a hint of deception. 

“No?” Addison said, with a look of confusion. Should she know who he was? Was he someone important? Had she made a faux pas in not knowing who he was? “I’m sorry. I’m not exactly a mind reader, and don’t know strangers names right off the bat. I mean, I could make up one for you, but I am horrible with coming up with names. Ask my cat Ser-Pounce-a-Lot. I mean, you could have asked if he were here which he is not. I don’t exactly carrying him in my purse though it’d be funny if I did, and now I am so way off track, so you probably should tell me your name and save us both further embarrassment,” she ended her ramble, her face feeling red hot and she knew she looked red as a ripe tomato. 

His expression softened, the frown that creased between his brows dissolved. He looked at her like she was something he had never quite seen before, like he had just stumbled upon a unicorn or something equally as fascinating. “It’s Steve,” the man said, with a genuinely pleased smile. 

“Thank you, Steve,” Addison smiled, and then her eyes caught sight of the clock on the wall just past his shoulder. “Oh, crud! I am almost late for my interview! Nice meeting you, Steve, and um, again thanks for the save! I’ve got to run now! Bye!” 

She turned on heel, and ran away from him which was probably a good thing. Her libido was swirling inside of her gut like a restless and ruthful thing, awoken from its long and lengthy hibernation in the wake of the epitome of masculinity. If she had been a lesser woman, she would have probably thrown herself at him and asked to have his babies. Damn, Darcy probably would give her grief for not trying to take a bite out of that, but Addison didn’t have the confidence when it came to relationships that Darcy had. She had fumbled with relationships before, and it had been painful and awkward at best so she had stowed such things away to the back of her mind. Besides, that man was so painfully out of her league that it physically hurt. _Probably the only time any woman has run from this guy,_ she thought, rather ruefully. 

She made her way down the hallway, and into the room that was labeled with a helpful hand written sign—that looked like Darcy’s swirling letters—that said, “Come and Get Your Interview! Come One, Come All!” There also was a crudely drawn picture of Ironman working a three ring circus, and wondered if Darcy had been drunk while drawing this, or just incredibly bored. She entered the room, and felt so out of place. Her clothes were nowhere near the quality of the name brands that the other hopefuls wore, and she swallowed down the hysterical gurgle that tickled the back of her throat. Oh, God, what was she thinking? This was the most horrible idea. This was the last place someone like her needed to get a job. 

On her way to a seat off in the corner, Addison passed a familiar looking woman with short, curly red hair with a figure for days. Her alabaster skin held not a single blemish, and her features were carved, and fierce like a lioness. Her sharp eyes flickered around the room, and she held herself with a subtle grace that belied the lethalness of a predator. Addison strongly suspected this woman could kick some ass and take names. 

She heard a whisper of the name “Black Widow”, and it clicked inside of her head. She was one of the people that had helped stop the alien invasion of New York. One of the Avengers, that she would be working with, if she got the job, and she felt a shiver run down her spine when she felt those sea-green run across her from head to toe. Damn, that woman was intimidating and made a tiny part of her question her sexuality. She sat down slowly, and smoothed out her skirt, placing her purse and her jacket into her lap. She fiddled with her locket, gently turning it over in the palm of her hand and running her thumb over the patterns. It never opened. No matter how hard she tried, it just wouldn’t open and she couldn’t bring herself to force it, and end up breaking it. It was the only thing she had of her mother’s. 

The next hour pulled by agonizingly slow as people were called in, given an interview and then set on their merry way. Some looked put out, others looked devastated, while others had this blissful smile on their faces like they had already gotten the job. When Addison name was called, she got out of the chair and walked into the office in an almost mechanical fashion. Her body functioning on autopilot while her mind raced to remember what she was going to say, and her throat bobbed when she came face to face with the intimidating legend that was Pepper Potts. 

Pepper Potts was a tall, statuesque woman with fiery red hair that was pulled back out of her face in a severe bun. The make-up was subtle, enhancing the nature contours of her face and gave her a fresh, clean look. She held herself like a queen, but with pride, not vanity. Her eyes were that tough-minded and clever individual that fought hard for her position at the company’s head, and was formidable enemy if one made the mistake of making her into one. “Miss Clarke,” Pepper Potts stated, her smile was cordial holding neither warmth nor coldness. “Please have a seat, and we can begin immediately.” 

“Of course,” Addison nodded, taking the seat that the woman gestured to. She sat with her spine ramrod straight, and a line of tension ran from shoulder to shoulder. Her purse was clutched in a knuckle white grip, and she crossed her legs at the ankle to keep herself from tapping her right foot nervously against the floor. 

“Would you like some coffee?” Pepper offered, waving a hand towards the tray that set on the desk in between them. 

“No, thank you,” Addison declined, quickly. “Coffee makes me jittery, and I’m jittery enough as is.” 

A flicker of amusement crossed the red headed woman’s face, and in the next, she was perfectly composed once more. “Miss Clarke, may I ask what drew you to put your application in for such a position?” She asked, her tone brisk and to the point. 

“I studied literature and business in college, graduating with honors. My employment record is steady, save for the two week stint at Hammer Industries. I…am aware that I may lack experience, and my resume is lackluster compared to no doubt many others who want this job, but I am smart. I learn fast, and I give a hundred and ten percent in everything I do,” Addison stated, firmly. She was past the point of no return, she might as well give it her all and hope for the best. “I’ll be honest and say I don’t know what such a position like entails. I know that I will be a liaison to the media for the Avengers, and be an assistant of sorts, but I have a feeling that my duties will beyond just that. But I’m a hard worker. One of the hardest workers you’ll ever meet.” 

Pepper picked up a cookie from the tray, and bit into it without her eyes ever leaving Addison’s face. She delicately swallowed the food down, and arched a brow. “That is all good and well, but it didn’t exactly answer my question. Why do you want this job? Why were you personally drawn to putting in an application here when there would be several other jobs that you are better qualified for?” 

Addison paused, and then her shoulders dropped a fraction. “Honest answer?” 

“Honesty is the best policy,” Pepper said, with a straight face. 

“I need this job. I was recommended it by a friend, and while I know there are several more jobs out there, they would keep me where I am at now. Barely making it by, and living in an apartment that is little more than a dump. I needed to try for something more, to dare to hope for something more, even if I failed,” Addison replied, keeping her voice even. She fought against allowing all the anxiety and fear that had been festering inside of her for the last few months when her future in the Big Apple became so uncertain. She had a little money saved, but her partial scholarship hadn’t covered all of her college tuition and book fees. That on top of paying rent had left Addison in a great bind, and she felt like a ticking time bomb was about to go off in her life if she didn’t step up, and do something. “I have been spinning my wheels, trying to find my little place in the world, and scrambling from one thing to the next. I am tired of just being, of just doing the daily things over and over again. I want…” She looked up from her hands, and met Pepper Potts gaze head on. “I want to make a difference, even if it just a small one. I want to be able to say that I did something that matter, and not look back on my life twenty years from now and wonder where it all has gone.” 

The smile on Pepper’s face warmed, just a smidgen. “Can you tell me a little bit about what you have done at your previous jobs?” She asked, hand folded one on top of the other neatly. 

“Other than Hammer Industries where I did just filing, my other jobs were rather small compared to this one, so I did a little bit of everything. I did what was needed when it was needed. Inventory, costumer relations, scheduling, sales, advertising. You name it and I’ve probably have done it in some form or capacity,” Addison replied, listing off all the things she had been required to do at the bookstore, and New York Gazette (the bastard cousin to the New York Times) she used to work at. When she said they had been a great deal smaller than this job, she meant it, but then again that had been before she had gotten her degree. “I’m better at scheduling and costumer relations though. I may be tongue tied when it comes to the everyday kind of conversations, but I’m good with people when my mind is set upon work or a task. It’s kind of weird, but it is what it is.” 

“I do not think it is weird in the slightest,” Pepper reassured her, with a surprisingly genially tone. “Many people function a great deal differently in work than outside of it. Now, you’ve already told me your strengths. If I were to ask you about your weakness, what would you say they were?” She asked, her shrewd eyes glanced across the application upon her desk. 

The tension inside of her loosened, and she felt the anxiousness that prickled along her scalp, ease up. “I tend to lose focus easily if I’m forced to be idle. If I have multiple tasks to keep busy this usually isn’t a problem, but I get twitchy when I have nothing to do,” Addison admitted, rubbing the back of her neck rather self-consciously. 

“Darcy commented that you have a knack for inventing things, too,” Pepper prompted, after a long moment. Though Addison had no idea, she had impressed Pepper. Instead, of making a sob story and leaning on her friendship with Darcy, the young woman in front of her was determined to steer her own way instead of letting others do the heavy lifting for her. 

“I—well, yes,” Addison admitted, with her heart pounding inside of her chest. She made a mental note to get back at her friend on a later date because she specifically asked Darcy not to breathe a word about her to Pepper Potts. If she had any shot at getting this job, she wanted it to be because of herself, not because someone put in a good word for her. “It is nothing official. I never took engineering class, or the like. Anything I know, I have been self-taught, and it’s more a hobby than anything I can make a living doing. I just like to…tinker with things occasionally.” 

“Then you know full well how to handle others that like to…tinker,” Pepper commented, with a sort of smile that revealed nothing behind what that statement. 

“I suppose I do,” Addison wished that had sounded more like an answer than a question. 

Pepper had to ask. “This would be a live in position, you do realize this?” 

“Yes, and I noticed that there wasn’t anything mentioned about rent,” Addison said, gnawing on her lower lip. She was afraid that the rent would be too much, given the new shiny building and the fact that superheroes lived here. 

“We don’t make the few employees who live in the Tower pay rent, Miss Clarke,” Pepper stated, a curious tilt to her head. “We understand that asking them to live in the Tower puts them at great risk, and though they might not get the spotlight like the heroes do, the work they do is just as essential. Mr. Stark felt it would not be right to ask for rent on top of that.” 

“If I get this job, I would like to pay rent,” Addison stated, firmly. “I pay my way.” 

Pepper admired her tenacity, and she could spot a stubborn soul from a mile away. Addison Clarke was genuine and earnest in wanting to carve her own way, but the red head also knew the apartment set up for the person who got this job would have a pricey rent. Pepper was not about to make her pay that kind of price, and would give her a much cheaper rent price. “Very well. We’ll adjust your salary to compensate for it,” Pepper stated, smoothly. “If that is all—” 

“Oh, wait!” 

Pepper arched a brow. 

Addison flushed slightly. “I…have a cat, is that going to be a problem if I get the job?” Addison asked. She didn’t want to give up Ser-Pounce-a-Lot. For all the trouble he was, she still loved the feisty feline ever since she adopted him at the shelter. 

“As long as he stays in the apartment, I don’t think there would be any issues,” Pepper told her, with a quick reassuring smile. She stood up out of her chair, and Addison did the same. “Thank you for your time, Miss Addison,” Pepper told her, shaking the other woman’s hand firmly. “You will get a call in a couple of days, either informing you if you have gotten the position or if we need to do further interviews.” 

* * *


	2. Stubborn is as Stubborn Does

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Addison Clarke never imagined working in same building that the Avengers lived in, but thanks to a desperate plea from her best friend, Darcy Lewis, she gets roped into the quirky world of superheroes and science wrangling. But Addison is not without her secrets, and the ones she holds tight could threaten to tear the Avengers’ world apart.  
> Timeline: Set seven months after the Avengers  
> Set four months after Thor: Dark World  
> Set before Captain America: Winter Soldier 
> 
> I want to thank candy_hearts for the review and the bookmark! :D
> 
> I want to thank candy_hearts, catschmi, Caitlin76, elle150 and 2 guests left kudos on this work!

* * *

Chapter Two 

“Stubborn is as Stubborn Does”

“Addison!” Darcy screamed in a similar fashion to Rocky screaming, ‘Adriane!’ and ran down the street towards her. The people in the way had to dodge in order not to be tackled by the sprinting brunette, but there was no way for Addison to escape, so she just braced herself for impact in three…two…one! 

“Umph!” Addison grunted, and stumbling a step backwards as she found herself arms full of Darcy, and the brunette squeezed as if attempting to squash the life out of her. She endured it for as long as she could because this was the first time Darcy and she had gotten to see in nearly a month, but she brought the hug to an end when her lungs were screaming from the torture. “Air, Darcy! I need air!” She said, her voice strained. 

Darcy was only a couple inches taller than Addison, which made them even height with Addison’s heels and Darcy’s flats. Long, nearly black waves hung down around her heart shaped face, and she had big slate blue eyes that took up the majority of her face. Her full lips painted a dark red making them pop against the ivory tone of her skin, and she smirked broadly. “Long time no see,” Darcy said, releasing Addison from her grasp. A blue beanie sat on top of her head, with matching fingerless mittens on her hands, and she wore a long blue coat with a green V-neck sweater and blue jeans underneath it with stylish blue boots. Darcy was always ecliptic when it came to her clothes and music. She could wear dresses one week, and in the next bundle up in a sweater shit and pajama pants the next, and be perfectly at home in all of it. “So did you get the job? What I am saying? Of course you got the job!” 

“I don’t know if I have gotten the job yet Darcy,” Addison said, with a shake of her head. “There were a dozen other applicants, and Ms. Potts has to review all over them—” 

“Addison,” Darcy said, in a deceptively calm tone. 

“…yes?” Addison said, slowly. 

“What is the first rule?” Darcy said, in a rather prim tone that was wholly uncharacteristic for her. 

“Darcy,” Addison pinched the bridge of her nose. “Do we really—” 

“The first rule,” Darcy repeated, with a saccharine smile. 

Addison sighed, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. “Never doubt the wisdom of Darcy,” she said, remembering when they came up with the silly rules at the beginning of high school. “Darcy’s wisdom is never wrong, and is law until outside forces prove otherwise.” 

“And what are you doing right now?” Darcy arched a brow. 

“Doubting Darcy?” Addison replied, after a pause. 

“Yes, so stop it,” Darcy smacked her arm, lightly. “Now come on. I need a caffeinated beverage ASAP because I’ve been up all night having to keep an eye on Jane while she toils away for _science._ I don’t understand how a woman who has gone to college and gotten degrees in the stuff can’t be alone with equipment meant to help her prove the stuff she is trying to prove! It’s like Murphy’s Law lingers over that laboratory like a dark cloud, and refuses to lift up unless I am there!” 

Addison followed Darcy down the street to a little place called, ‘Knot a Coffee Shop’, and went inside. It was fairly busy little place, and smelled heavenly of freshly brewed coffee and baked sweets. Darcy immediately zoomed in said sweets on because the girl had a sweet truth that would put Willy Wonka out of business, and nearly pressed her face against the glass to look at the daily selection of cupcakes, scones, and truffles. “So, I heard Pepper was doing the interviews personally which is a good thing because she is a force of nature, and if you can’t handle Pepper than it really isn’t the job for you,” Darcy commented, offhandedly while eyeballing the lemon truffles. 

“For all the stories, I’d thought she’d be scarier though I’m sure she could be pretty damn scary when she needs to be,” Addison replied, without thought. Her eyes scanned the vast list of coffee selections, and felt rather overwhelmed by it. Why couldn’t coffee shops or restaurants be simple? Why was there so much, _too_ much options? She liked the ability to try new things like the next person, but sometimes, the old original cup of joe was the way to go. The sad thing is she didn’t even know how to order that properly because she couldn’t see it on the frickin’ menu. 

“You can’t work your way up through a company, deal with Tony Stark on daily bases, without knowing how to be scary,” Darcy said, with a crooked smile. She sighed dreamily at a blueberry muffin, and said, “Paging Dr. Muffin, you are needed in my belly.” 

Addison smiled, but the smile fell away when she heard someone say the word “pig” and a bunch of giggles behind them. 

Addison felt her blood heat with a burst of anger, and glanced over her shoulder to see a group of teeny boppers who were barely twenty, if even that. The clothes they wore were hardly enough to cover their bodies appropriately. One false move and the entire shop would get a show. There was nothing wrong with Darcy in the slightest. Puberty had hit both of them years ago at age thirteen, and while it hit Darcy like a freight train giving her a womanly shape, it had barely knocked Addison over. She did have curves in all the right places, but they were nothing substantial like Darcy’s. Her 34A bra was a firm reminder that she was a proud member of the itty bitty titty committee, and was close to being the president. Addison wished she had curves like Darcy’s, her friend was the kind of woman that left men salivating and with naughty fantasy for days on end, and she was by no means a ‘pig’ like that bitch just said. Addison knew that the woman was just jealous because the guy who had been flirting with her when she and Darcy walked in had turned to look rather luridly at Darcy’s backside. 

“Ignore the starving sorority sisters, Darcy,” Addison told her, sharply. “The lack of food has obviously left them lightheaded, and forgetful of such things as manners.” 

Darcy smirked when she saw the blond woman toss Addison a nasty glare. “I was ignoring them. I was just deciding which desert I wanted to eat as I binge watch 2 Broke Girls because unlike them desperate and hoping any man will toss them his bone, I can actually take pleasure from simple things like sugary goodness,” Darcy said, with a longing look at the sweets that were only beyond her reach by a thin layer of glass. She had gotten used to people like that felt like they had a right to judgment her because she wasn’t the size zero, but she had grown a thick skin and learned that people who were like that didn’t have opinions that mattered to her. “But I appreciate you defending my honor.” 

“Oh,” Addison flushed. “I’m sorry. I’m just used to—” 

“Kicking people off their high horse and into the shit below on my behalf?” Darcy grinned, broadly. In middle school, when Darcy’s boobs had grown in she had been teased relentless which made Addison go all attack dog on several people. A great many detentions and suspension were earned by each of them from defending one another against bullies. “I like watching you go all Addy on someone. I only wish that I had some popcorn to enjoy with the show. And if your bite isn’t enough to shut them up, I’ll happily introduce them to my fun pal, the Shocker.” 

“You really haven’t changed have you?” Addison said, with a fond smile. She remembered when Darcy had gotten that tazer—the Shocker, as it was fondly dubbed—during high school, and the first victim of it had been the quarterback on the football team that had gotten too handsy. She aimed right at his crotch, too. Needless to say, he hadn’t touched another girl without consent after that. She idly wondered if Darcy knew that tazers were illegal, but then immediately bit back a laugh. Knowing Darcy, she probably knew and didn’t care. 

“Dude, don’t get sentimental on me,” Darcy told her, flatly. “You know that gives me hives.” 

“Right,” Addison snorted, amused. “Sorry.” 

The two tucked into a corner table, and settled down into the seats. Darcy covertly ran her hand over the box of lemon truffles, and made kissy faces at it while giving a seductive sigh, “Later, baby. Later.” Then she happily bit into her muffin, and leaned back in her chair with ankles crossed at the heels. “I needed this.” 

Addison unwrapped her turkey sandwich, watching Darcy love affair with the muffin with more than a little amusement. “It is nice to get away from problems, even if only for a little,” she said, tearing the package of mayonnaise open and lifting the slice of bread to pour it on. “So how is everything going on…” 

“Do not ruin our moment,” Darcy warned, knowing exactly what she was going to ask. 

Addison continued, undeterred, “With Ian?” 

“Look at the moment. Look at how you killed it,” Darcy snipped, giving Addison a mild glare before her shoulders slumped. Truth be told, she wanted to discuss it with someone, and when Jane was absorbed in her work, it was hard to get her sympathetic ear. “It’s going nowhere. We broke up.” 

Addison’s brow furrowed. The edge of her mouth tightened, and despite how Darcy hid it, she could see the pain in her friend’s face. “That bad of a break up, huh?” She whispered out, hating herself for bringing up now. The fallout of the relationship was still a sore wound for her friend. 

“One of the worst. It was just a big clusterfuck. At first, I really liked him. During whole Kebbler Elves Gone Wild in London thing, he saved my life and he was kind of adorkable. But then it all changed,” Darcy sighed, heavily and overdramatically. “Then I got to _know_ him, and realized how incompatible we both were. The sparkly shine on my heart eyes…quickly wore off.” 

“An initial spark doesn’t always mean a flame,” Addison said, with an understanding nod. “Sometimes, it’s just a spark and then _pffft_.” 

“That is exactly what it was! I know that it sounds petty, but I mean, I just couldn’t do it. I tried you know because he was a nice, normal steady kind of guy, but he had these habits!” Darcy said, with a look of annoyance. “Like for one, he _chewed_ on his toenails! Who does that?” 

“Apparently Ian,” Addison said, with a slight grimace. She took a couple of bites of her sandwich, the spicy Cajun turkey hitting the spot and wiped the excesses mayonnaise from the corner of her mouth with a napkin. 

“He also dipped his eggrolls in honey mustard,” Darcy grouched. “That’s like food blasphemy.” 

“Of the highest kind,” Addison agreed, with a shudder. 

“He also refused to do oral sex,” Darcy added, with a pinched expression. “But had no problem with getting it.” 

“The selfish bastard,” Addison said, with the appropriate amount of venom. “Want me to kill him?” 

“No, because that would be we’d have to hide the body and I have no wiggle room in my schedule for that. Besides, it’s a good thing we broke up. He needed some girl who could deal with being the normal and boring lifestyle, and I needed someone who isn’t going to be all insecure about a relationship. He was always jealous of any guy that I worked with. He was even jealous of Bruce Banner. Bruce is kind of good looking in that older, professor fantasy kind of way, but I’m not into him in that like that,” Darcy stated, biting into the blueberry muffin with more vigor than necessary. She chased it down with a big drink of her black coffee. “Besides, Natasha is like one step away marking her territory, and tangoing with her would be a death sentence.” 

_So Black Widow and the Hulk were apparently something of an item. Talk about super couple goals. The media would have a field day,_ Addison thought, swiping the whip cream off the top of her mocha. Licking it off the tip of her thumb, she looked over at Darcy. “You ship them, don’t you? I bet you even have a ship name already made up for them,” she teased, with a small smirk. 

Darcy gave her the evil eye. “I will never admit to being a shipper. Never.” 

“Isn’t that in and of itself an omission?” Addison smiled, sweetly. 

Darcy stuck out her tongue childishly. “Anyways, back to my ex-boyfriend. I just couldn’t stick it out. Maybe that says something unfortunate about me, but it got to the point when I realized if I didn’t break it off we were going to end up on an episode of Snapped,” Darcy sighed, heavily. “So here I am single.” 

“And ready to mingle?” Addison asked, hesitantly. She didn’t mind if Darcy dated, but usually when Darcy had break ups, she’d go out partying like it was 1999, and Addison would be dragged along for the joyride that usually ended with a mass hangover. And sometimes, in a jail cell. 

“Ha! No way! Not after the fallout of this latest relationship. I am totally swearing off men for the foreseeable future, and my lady bits have decided to start a purely carnal relationship with my handy dandy vibrator,” Darcy declared, without a lick of shame. 

Addison choked on her drink, and pressed a napkin quickly to her nose where hot mocha latte now burned painfully. “I swear you do that on purpose,” she gasped, leaning forward. She blinked back the tears that swarmed in her gaze, and coughed to clear her airways. 

Darcy blinked innocently. “Do what?” 

“Say stuff like that when I take a drink,” Addison accused on a haggard breath. She cleaned up her face, and wiped away all the traces of her drink while giving Darcy a deadpanned look. “Get your sick amusement elsewhere, you heathen.” 

“But why would I do that when you make it so easy?” Darcy said, with a wicked smirk. 

Before Addison could properly retort, a person jogged up to their table. Glancing up, Addison’s heart seized in her chest when she realized it was the man, Sam, from the elevator ride earlier this morning and anxious prickled along her scalp. “Hey, it’s you,” Sam said, his smile broadened into a full on toothy smirk. His eyes glinted with mirth as if he were in on some kind of inside joke, and it made Addison squirm uncomfortably in her seat. “What are the odds that we would run into each other again?” 

“You two know each other?” Darcy looked shocked. Addison wished she had a camera. 

“Oh, yeah, we go way back,” Sam smiled, cheerfully. He looked like the cat that ate the canary. 

“Yes,” Addison drawled, with a hint of sarcasm while she twisted her coffee cup around lazily. “Way back…to the elevator ride this morning.” 

Sam clucked his tongue in mock disappointment. “Why do you have to go and demean the beautiful connection that we shared?” 

Darcy gave a dramatic and offended gasp. “You’ve been stepping out on me, Sam? And here I thought I was the only one for you! However will I deal with the pain of being jilted by my lover and best friend in such a manner! I demand restitution! You,” she pointed a finger at Addison, “bake me those amazing brownies of yours while you,” the accusing finger turned towards Sam who was barely holding it together, “owe me delicious foot rubs for a month.” 

“Sam, what are you doing?” A voice interrupted the conversation. “Darcy, is he bothering you again?” 

“Bother? I am not a bother! I am a delight!” Sam looked offended. 

_Oh, God, it was hunky Steve,_ Addison thought, stiffening in her seat when a shadow fell over the table. 

Darcy had the biggest shit eater grin on her face, and her dark eyes flickered towards Sam with a wicked glint in them. “Hmmm, I don’t know,” she said, tapping the end of her chin with a blue painted fingernail. “He did just toss me over for my best friend.” 

“I don’t think Thor will be all that happy if he learns you’ve been flirting with his girl, Sam,” Steve said, with a good natured grin though there was a half-serious look in his eye. 

“No, not Jane,” Darcy said, pointing towards Addison who was trying to make herself appear as small as possible in her chair. “My other bff Addison! Addison and I have been best friends ever since that fateful day in kindergarten when I beat up Jimmy Johnson for wiping his boogers on her dress.” 

Addison groaned, dropping her head into her hands. “Of all the stories, Darcy, you chose that one.” 

“It _was_ the start of our friendship, and is always a great ice breaker,” Darcy said, with a wave of her hand. “Anyways, introductions! You already know Sam, so we’ll skip over him, and go to the most important man in the room—” 

“Hey!” 

“—the one and only Steve Ro—” 

“D-arcy!” Sam cut her off, loudly grabbing her hand and pulling her out of her seat without explanation. “I think this venue needs a better music selection! Let’s go to the juke box, and choose some songs! My treat!” 

“The music does kind of suck, but…” Whatever Darcy said was lost to Addison’s ears because Sam had dragged her friend to the other side of the large coffee shop in less than five seconds, and left her alone with Steve. 

“That was…” Addison started to say, but then found she didn’t have a word sufficient enough to describe what just happened here. Suspicious? Strange? Awkward? Those were the few that sprang to mind, but none of them seemed good enough. 

“Yeah,” Steve had an annoyed look pinned on Sam’s back before he glanced down at her, and it softened into a slight smile. “Is…is this seat taken? I don’t know how long they are going to be over there, and we had a pretty long run.” 

“Oh! Of course. Please sit down,” Addison said, embarrassed she hadn’t offered the seat to him before now. Why did attractive men fluster her? Why could she be charming and flirty instead of twitching like an awkward bird? She was going to make a mess of herself, she just knew it. The universe really had it out for her today, it seemed. 

Steve pulled out the seat, and dropped down into carefully. His eyes glanced all the little café, taking in the people and the exits in one smooth motion before his blue gaze came to rest back on Addison. “So what were you doing at the Tower, if you don’t mind my asking?” Steve asked, politely. 

“Oh. I was there for an interview,” Addison replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She wished she didn’t have the urge to sit and fiddle with stuff when she was anxious. “I am hoping to get a job there.” 

A flicker of surprise moved through those slate blue eyes. “What kind of job was you are applying for?” He asked, a slight tension around the edge of his lips. 

“Mostly press liaison, setting up interviews and prepping people with possible questions from what I gathered, but there is other things. I also will be assisting Miss Potts with inventory and budgeting,” Addison replied, fiddling with her earring nervously. “If I get the job that is. I really need to not count the chickens before they are hatched.” 

“Oh,” he got this indention between his brows, a little frown. “So you are probably going to be working with the Avengers?” 

“Uh, I guess so? I mean, I don’t know if I have gotten the job, and even if I do, I don’t know how close I’ll be working with them. I may just make the schedules, set up interviews, and never have to speak to them one on one,” Addison shrugged, with a self-deprecating smile. “It’s a bit foolish to apply for a job and not know what I’m setting myself up for.” 

“Some would call it brave,” Steve pointed out. 

“Me? Brave?” She actually looked behind her to see he was taking to someone else and she was in the way before she could help herself. “I have the bravery of a chicken nugget,” Addison whispered, a dark flush stained her pale cheeks. There had been a time when she had _thought_ herself brave, a more innocent time when the world felt like her oyster and she had felt invincible. Times had changed a great deal since then, and she swallowed down the last bit of coffee left in her cup. 

“Maybe you aren’t giving yourself enough credit,” Steve told her, with a lopsided grin. 

“Says the man that beyond this has only shared an elevator ride with me,” Addison retorted, lightly. 

Steve shrugged his shoulders slightly. “I’m usually a good judge of character.” 

“Hmmm,” was Addison’s reply before they slipped into a silence. She barely kept herself from gnawing on her thumb, a habit she had picked up from childhood, and cleared her throat while she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “I don’t really watch television. It’s not often I can watch a show or movie without it hurting my eyes, so I’m more of a reader.” With her _special_ perception, the screens on television bothered her and often gave her migraines, so it wasn’t often that she sat down to watch movies. A pity given her great fondness of them. More often than not, the only glimpses of television coverage she had gotten were when she came into the coffee shop, and that was few and far between. “Is this…about me not recognizing you? Would I know who you are if I watched tv?” 

There was something ridiculously familiar about him, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. It was like staring at a face with just a subtle difference that kept her mind from putting two and two together. She had a feeling she was going to literally face palm later when she figured it out. 

Steve shifted, slightly uncomfortably. “Probably,” he said, a tautness to his voice. His smile stilted, and he looked away from her towards the bustling crowd inside the coffee shop. More than a few eyes lingered on him, some alit with excitement, and some with speculation. All felt intrusive and frankly unwelcomed. 

Addison sympathized with him though he did not know it. “I imagine it must be maddening. Everyone knowing your face, treating you like a circus animal or commodity, and feel that they are entitled to walk right up to you, and tell you anything or do anything as if you don’t have feelings and—” She cut off, abruptly. Her own feelings were seeping into her words, and she drew them back sharply, regaining her composure before anything appeared amiss. “I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. It is just…the way you acted earlier, you seemed quite surprised when you realized that I didn’t know you on sight. I was just curious as to why.” 

“Please, don’t apologize,” Steve told her, recovering his smile. It wasn’t often that someone didn’t realize who he was, and it had taken him off guard. Normally, people looked at him and saw a symbol. They saw the legendary Captain America, not the man behind the mask. It was nice to have someone who saw him as Steve first for once. He had almost forgotten how nice that felt. “I was surprised, but it was…a nice one. It’s not often that I get to be…just Steve.” 

“Well, Just Steve,” she said, with a half-smile. “I will endeavor to always see you as thus.” 

It took her a moment to realize that the statement was rather presumptuous. She didn’t even know if she was ever going to see him beyond this moment, but the apology got stuck in her throat when his eyes swept back towards her face. There was such a sincere gratitude in his gaze as if no one had ever made such an offer like that before to him, and her heart lurched in her chest. 

“You’re him, aren’t you?” A high-pitched squealing voice interrupted the moment. “You’re Ca—” 

“Yes, I am,” Steve said, abruptly. He looked away from Addison to the buxom young woman—the same bitch that had made the nasty comment about Darcy—that had walked up to their table a smile. A smile that Addison noted did not quite reach his eyes. 

“I knew you were! I told Tess that it was really you, but she didn’t believe me!” The woman clasped her hands together in front of her, and sighed breathlessly staring at him with stars in her eyes. “Gosh, I can’t believe that you actually here in this dinky little coffee shop! My friends and I are big fans of yours!” 

“Thank you, ma’am,” Steve said, through his teeth. He could handle fans when necessary, but he hated dealing with such impolite ones. First, the woman insults the place that she and her friends were more than happy to sit and eat at, and secondly, he didn’t miss the side eyed glare that she gave to Addison. Tony told him that he had to maintain face, whether he liked it or not. It took precious little to turn a person’s reputation and dismantle it with lies. “It’s always nice to meet a fan.” 

Addison didn’t know what possessed her, but she reached underneath the table, giving his hand a comforting squeeze. She did not envy his position right now, having to deal with some woman whose skirt looked more like a belt and the woman had bent over slightly, in a way that she guessed was supposed to be subtle, to give Steve an up and close view of her cleavage. The only way he could have gotten a better view is if the woman grabbed his head and shoved his face right between her breasts that were so obviously implants. 

Steve glanced back over at her, with a quick thankful look. _Oh, girl, do not get ahead of yourself. He is just grateful that someone can understand how painful this is. It isn’t love at first sight. There is no such thing,_ Addison thought, biting the inside of her cheek. And by God, she wasn’t in love with the man next to her. Extremely attracted to, yes, but love, no. However, that didn’t mean her heart didn’t give a little pitter patter when his hand clasped hers in return, and pleasant warmth tingle along her skin. 

Casting a dark and defiant look at Addison, the overeager and barely legal fan leaned closer to Steve to whisper something in his ear. Addison watched the flush blossom across his cheek, and he blinked, hard. There was a slight tick in his jaw when he cleared his throat, and he murmured, somehow still keeping his tone polite, “Um—no thank you.” 

A disappointed look crossed the woman face, and she gave Addison a glare as if blaming her for the rejection. Addison gave her a cool stare in return, holding it until the woman looked rather uncomfortable and turned back to Steve. “Could I, at least, have your autograph, then?” She asked, pulling a pen and paper out of her ginormous purse that could have the city of Atlantis hidden in there for all they knew. 

To his credit, Steve tossed her an apologetic look before he started to write out his signature thought Addison could have told him there was nothing to be sorry for. He couldn’t help if his superhero status—and Addison was willing to bet all her money that he _was_ a superhero—had attracted quite the following, some more pushy and annoying than others. The Avengers were the most well-known, but rumors in the magazine had cataloged a plethora of heroes coming and going from the Tower. Some calling the “Hero Alliance” or whatnot. It was hard to place a face when most heroes wore masks all the time, but Steve was obviously known without a mask, too. He did not wear one now, and was still recognized. 

Addison bit back a smile, and adverted her eyes from what he was writing. He really didn’t want her to know who he was beyond ‘Just Steve’, and while that should have set up a few warning flags, Addison found his awkwardness a bit endearing. She looked over at Sam and Darcy who whispering conspiratorially by the Jukebox, and gave them a deadpanned look. When they caught her staring, they turned their backs so she couldn’t see their faces. _What are you up to Darcy?_ She thought with an exasperated fondness. 

“Thank you!” The woman cooed, fluttering her eyelashes dramatically. “You are so kind.” A calculating gleam entered the woman’s eyes, and she gave it one last attempt to entice Steve. “My friends are having a party. You are more than—” 

“I’m afraid he won’t be able to do that,” Addison said, her tone ice cold. It surprised her even more than it did Steve and his fan, but she had about enough of this pushy broad. People who couldn’t take the rejection and keeping pushing always bothered her. It was obviously by the strain along his clenched jaw that Steve was also quite irritated by her. 

The woman narrowed her eyes. “Excuse me? Who do you think you are?” 

“I’m his agent. To make a public appearance for free at such an event that is not for charity nor related to Stark Industries would be a breach of his contract,” Addison commented, putting on her best poker face. Beside her, Steve schooled his features into the picture of nonchalance. “I make ten percent of everything he makes, so the going rate for him to do an event is—” 

“Never mind,” the woman said, with a shake of her head. “It’s more than I can afford.” 

“But I haven’t even quoted a number,” Addison pretended to be bemused. 

“Hmph.” The woman gave Addison a long look, and said to Steve without bothering to lower her voice one iota, “I’d think about getting a new agent. This one obviously can’t separate her _personal_ feelings from business, and is clearly taking advantage of you,” the blond sniffed, before she walked off making sure to sashay her hips in a “come hither” manner. It was obvious that if Steve were so inclined that the offer she made him was still on the table, or where ever he wanted it to be. 

“That…was quick thinking,” Steve commented, the corners of his mouth twitched. 

“Sorry if I overstepped. I don’t know what got into me,” Addison said, quietly. The blush that she had just managed to get rid of now back in full force, especially over what the little twit implied. ‘Personal feelings’ was a pitiful jab, making her out to sound like some jealous lover which almost made Addison laugh outright. “She was just being so intolerable and you were doing your best to not be rude, I just couldn’t sit there and do nothing. It didn’t help that earlier she was rude to Darcy. I…may have taken some glee out of taking her down a peg. Please tell me that not all your fans are like that.” 

“Not all, no, but there are a few,” Steve said, with a grimace. He usually tried to have a buffer around with him to avoid such ‘enthused’ fans. Natasha usually gave them a death glare that had people actively avoid him. Sam would talk the person’s ear off then say goodbye, and they’d be gone before the person knew what had happened. Banner was alright, but he didn’t like going out in public that often for obvious reasons. Thor was off world right now, but he didn’t think the thunder god would be that much help, to be honest. Clint thought it was hilarious, so Steve avoided going anywhere with archer, and no force on this earth could make him hang around Tony Stark in public by himself. It was actually entertaining to see this tiny woman who was a good foot, possibly more, smaller than him, taking up for him. 

“Wow, that’s…wow,” Addison chuckled, feeling embarrassed for him. He handled it with far more grace than she ever would have. She probably would have bitten someone’s head off and shoved it where the sun didn’t shine. “I am curious though…what kind of offer she made to you?” she asked, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. 

A touch of pink appeared on his tanned cheeks, and he coughed, awkwardly. 

“Hey, guys!” Darcy rejoined them, with a bright smile and unknowingly saved Steve from further embarrassment. 

“Have fun picking out music?” Addison asked, giving her friend a sharp look. 

“No. This coffee places taste in music sucks,” Darcy grumbled, looking rather disappointed. “I’ve seen a better collection of music in nursing home. No offense, Stevie.” 

Steve grunted, his lips slightly pursed. 

Addison cocked her head to the side, curiously. 

Before more could be said, Sam’s pocket dinged. He made a face and pulled out his cellphone. He let out a groan, running his hand down his face, and looked at Steve. “So much for a quiet week. We are needed back at HQ ASAP,” Sam told him, the smile that had been on his face wiped completely clean. 

The lightness on Steve’s face evaporated, and was traded for a severe and serious expression. He rose to his feet, his chair skidding softly against the tiled floor, and he asked, “What’s the situation?” 

“Didn’t say,” Sam stated, with a frown. “Just that we were needed back at the Tower.” 

Steve nodded slightly before he turned towards them. “Always nice seeing you, Darcy,” Steve said, courteously. 

“You, too,” Darcy smiled. “Good luck with whatever chaos Stark has invented now.” 

A huff of amusement escaped him, softening his stern demeanor for all of a second. His shoulder drew up with a great breath, and his eyes turned towards Addison, his lips curled in a small smile. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Addison.” 

“Oh, the p-pleasure is all mine,” Addison said, with a slight stutter that made her wish that the earth would swallow her whole. She felt Darcy stare on her, and forced herself not to cringe with embarrassment. “It was nice meeting you, too.” 

The two of them left quickly after that which spared Addison from sticking her foot further into her mouth, and it was then she decided to avoid all interactions with handsome men. She got too easily flustered, and she did not want it to be written in her obituary that she died from embarrassment by having a hot guy being nice to her. Her eyes pulled away from the door, and caught Darcy’s smug knowing gaze. “What?” Addison demanded, flatly. 

Darcy smirked, then adopted a dewy-eyed expression and clasped her hands in front of her chest before fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously. _“Oh, the pleasure is all mine. It was nice meeting you, too,”_ she mocked Addison, with a dreamy sigh. 

Two hot spots burned on Addison’s cheek, and she gave her friend a glower. “I did not sound like that,” she defended, folding her arms over her chest. 

“Ha! You sounded _exactly_ like that.” 

“…I hate you.” 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment, and let me know what you think! :D


	3. Warm Welcomes Lead To Bad Tidings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank, HuntressOfTheMoon, Megforpeace, lexeeehhh, Keepyourcold, Dawheels74, Dlg, candy_hearts, catschmi, Caitlin76, elle150 and 3 guests for the kudos!  
> I want to thank, candy_hearts and Keepyourcold, for the bookmarks!  
> I want to thank, candy_hearts and Megforpeace for the review! :D
> 
> This originally was going to be three chapters, but I decided to make it five because I wasn't done with this story in the series just yet. :D

Chapter Three 

“Warm Welcomes Lead to Bad Tidings”

* * *

It had been eight days since then, and five since Addison was called and informed that the job was hers for the taken if she so desired it. She would never tell a soul, but after she received that call, she danced around her apartment with Ser-Pounce-a-Lot in her arms like a kid on a Halloween sugar high. Thank heavens that Darcy was not there to record it for blackmail material. 

After two days on the job, Pepper treated Addison like she was the answer to some personal prayer. She had been organizing the office—Tony Stark’s files which had been haphazardly piled, and stashed away with no rhyme or reason—because Pepper had enough of Tony’s so called organization. Addison pointed out that some geniuses thrived in chaos, but Pepper stated that Tony had enough of that in his everyday life as it was. So Addison formatted a color coded filing system a matter of hours, and the office looking like an office instead of a pigsty by the end of her second day. Honestly, Pepper looked like she could have kissed her. 

Needless to say that the day had gone wonderfully, and Addison had never been so relieved and grateful. She had been initially worried about how she wouldn’t fit in around here, but so far, it had been a great experience. Despite the several worried that lingered over her head still, she was glad that Darcy had pushed her to reach a little higher and it had paid off. And if that hadn’t been nearly enough to turn her dismal life into a 180, then her new apartment would have sent her spirits skyrocketing all on its own. 

“Are you _absolutely_ this is my apartment?” Addison asked Darcy, for the millionth time. 

“For the gazillionth time, this apartment is yours. Now can you stop gawking and fluttering around like a beheaded chicken, and finally start unpacking. All your fidgeting is making me antsy. If I had known a double shot of espresso would make you dance around like an like a squirrel on nutty steroids I wouldn’t have given it to you,” Darcy said, with a frank and bemused expression as her blue eyes followed Addison around as the other woman looped around the apartment in awe of everything. 

“I knew you were giving me extra caffeine!” Addison said, pointing an accusing finger at Darcy. 

“To be fair,” Darcy said, holding her hands up in surrender, “I thought it was going to be much more entertaining than this.” 

Addison gave her a quick glower, but it faded a second later. She looked around the apartment that was so far beyond what her last apartment had been that it was ridiculous. She had virtually gone from living in an apartment that was one step above a rat’s den to living like a queen overnight. “I’m still not convinced this isn’t a dream. If I pinch myself I’m going to wake up, aren’t I?” 

The apartment was state of the art. No expense had been spared. The large red mahogany front door led to a long hallway, with a good size closet to the right before it opened up into an open floor concept living room and kitchen. The moderate sized kitchen was filled with stainless steel appliances from a dish washer to two ovens—not one, but two—and a fridge so big it could fit the entire grocery store in it. The counters were smooth and polished gray granite that she just couldn’t stop touching, and she could envision baking and cooking in here to her heart’s content. A thing she hadn’t been able to do in a long time. The living room was immaculate, looking like something out of magazine rather than an actually living space. With a huge television set—that she would likely never use unless Darcy demanded movie night—hung up on the wall right above the brass fireplace, electric not wood or gas, that had been adorned in white bricks. A long vibrant red couch that curved ever so slightly stood before the fireplace, with a couple of grayish chair set on the sides with a sleek, glass oval table in the center. 

Off to the right was a bathroom for guests, and company. Two hallways extended from the central area, and Addison knew this place was bigger than for just one person. “Am I the only person living here?” She asked, hesitantly. 

“As of right now, yeah,” Darcy nodded. “That might change later on, but you get first dibs, and there for rights to set it up however you want. Though if you set it up as tacky as the chicken, country-fried way your grandparents had your house set up, and Stark ever found out, he might have aneurism.” Her brown eyes widened with delight. “Now you definitely have to set it up like that. That is something I need to see.” 

Addison face twisted at the mention of her grandparents before she could help it, and she turned her head away before Darcy could see the expression and be concerned. Her heart knotted tight inside of her chest, and a cold stone settled in the pit of her stomach. The last bitter words exchanged between her and her grandparents before she moved to New York rang clear like a bell inside of her head; the memory unforgiving in its clarity. She hadn’t told Darcy about any of that, hadn’t wanted the inevitable questions that would follow because she knew the answers to those questions had the ability to bring her world crashing down on top of her, and losing the only friend that stood beside her through thick and thin. 

“Dude, you’ve gone all brooding,” Darcy said, eyes narrowed. “Stop it. This is a good thing. Why won’t you just enjoy it while it’s nice and simple? Trust me, take the time because if you are all keyed up during the quiet times, then you are going to have a breakdown when the shit hits the fan.” 

“I suppose you’re right,” Addison said, lightly. She gnawed on her lower lip, with guilt seething in the pit of her stomach. She never felt right keeping secrets from Darcy, but the words never felt easy to say. Part of her—the most sensible side—pointed out that Darcy would understand given all the people and strangeness that was currently in her friend’s life. But the fear was louder, more aggressive than her common sense and it swallowed up her words before they could fall upon her tongue. Instead, the words and doubts were left to fester in her brain like a cancer, and fear’s claws were firmly buried inside of her heart. 

“Of course, I am,” Darcy said, smugly. 

“It’s just…good things never really happen to me,” Addison admitted, wringing her hands together. “I’m grateful. To pluto and back, I am grateful, but I just don’t how to handle it. I don’t know how to accept good things graceful, and I just feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.” 

“Alright. If you are going to be mopey then I’m going to have to call in reinforcements with some liquor to help brighten your mood,” Darcy threatened, with a wag of her finger like a school teacher scolding a misbehaving child. A motion that Darcy for the most part of her life had been on the opposite end of. 

“Darcy, no,” Addison pleaded, a knot of anxiety bubbling up in the back of her throat. “Don’t bring people over. You know how painfully introvert I am around strangers. My idiosyncrasies make things awkward, and I’m awkward like a fish out of water.” 

Darcy gnawed on her lower lip with a wide eyed innocent look. “Well…um…” 

Addison’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Darcy, don’t tell me—” 

“I’m sorry! I already texted Jane, Sharon, and Natasha,” Darcy blurted out, with a puppy eyed look that silently begged for forgiveness. “But look at it this way, you get to meet other people who live here. Liquor and friends is exactly what you need.” 

“I’m not sure that combination is good idea,” Addison said, with a shake of her head. 

Further protests were warranted in Addison’s opinion, but she didn’t get the chance to vocalize them. As soon as her lips parted, there was a hurried knock at the door. Addison molten brown eyes flickered towards it then at Darcy, with a deep set frown upon her face. “Dar—” 

“They are here!” Darcy said, loudly cutting off Addison’s words. “Quick! Try to resemble something like a smiling human.” 

Addison made a noise like a dying cat as she watched Darcy rush towards the door, and tugged at her hair for a split second before she straightened it out. Taking a deep breath, she composed her face into a tight, nervous smile. She heard Darcy greet the people with great enthusiasm and waited with her hands clasped tightly behind her back. _Just play it cool. Just play it all cool, and everything will be alright,_ Addison thought, encouragingly to herself. 

Darcy returned with two women in tow, both as different as day and night. It was the blond that approached Addison right away with, and held out her hand. “Hello, I’m Sharon. Sharon Carter,” the blond introduced herself. With high cheek bones, soft rosy lips and perfect blond hair, the woman looked like a supermodel that just walked right off the cover of a magazine. Her hazel gaze was intense, but not in a scary way. She was calmly observant of everyone in the room, and the environment in such a way that made Addison believe she was military trained. 

“Addison Clarke, nice to meet you,” she said, shaking the woman’s hand. Thank heavens, her palms weren’t sweaty. That would have just kicked her mortification up ten notches into the ‘I Wish to Fall Off The Face of the Earth’ section of her embarrassment meter. 

“Pepper’s new hire, right?” Sharon said, a slight twinkle in her eye. The girl had a good hand shake, steady even underneath obvious pressure. She released the brunette’s hand, and watched her absorb the words spoken. 

“Yes?” Addison said, slowly as her hand fell to her side. 

Jane snorted, biting back a smile and shared an amused look with Sharon. 

“Huh,” Addison’s gaze darted between them, a suspicious tilt to her lips. “Why do I feel like I’m on the outside of some personal joke?” 

“It’s nothing,” Jane assured her, hastily. 

“It’s not nothing,” Darcy corrected, gleefully. She pulled out the bottle of liquor out of the paperbag, and then wolf whistle. “Sharon, you brought the good stuff. Straight from Stark’s stash, too. How did you get the stingy metalhead to part with one of these?” 

Sharon smirked. “I’m not at liberty to say.” 

“He doesn’t even know it’s gone, does he?” Jane sent the blond a look. 

Sharon gave a delicate shrug of her shoulders. 

“Teach me your ways, maestro!” Darcy begged. 

Sharon gave Darcy an apologetic smile. “I’m afraid that’s against the rules, Darcy. Director Fury says that you create enough trouble as a civilian, and that he just doesn’t want to deal with more paperwork than necessary. He is still doing paperwork over what happened two months ago.” 

Darcy huffed. “Fury is always crapping on my fun. And the Ilama-karaoke incident was not my fault. It was Clint’s.” 

“That’s not how Clint tells it,” a voice interrupted the conversation. 

Addison whirled around to find the red head that was none other than the Black Widow, or Natasha Romanoff as she was known by in the tower, lounging on the couch as if she had been there all this time, and her brows pinched together roughly wondering how the woman had managed to get by them. “I…wh…how did you…” Addison watched the woman’s blank expression give away the barest trace of amusement, and Addison rubbed her neck slightly as if feeling a noose tightening around it. “Um, nice to meet you?” 

Natasha gave a subtle smirk, and rose off the couch with a languid grace of a mountain lion. “So, you are the one that has Stark pulling his hair out by the roots?” The red head said, with a gleam in her eyes. Her eyes ran up and down Addison, probing and curious. “I expected you’d be taller.” 

Addison blinked. “You have no idea how many times I’ve heard that. Wait. What? What do you mean that Stark is pulling his hair out? Tony Stark? My boss’s boss? I’ve never met him. What could I have done?” She asked, panicking slightly. “Darcy, did you know about this?” 

Darcy flashed a guilty smile. “Possibly. Apparently, he’s not too happy that Pepper had you clean up his office, and enforced a new filing system he is supposed to live by. He was ranting about his “creative freedom” and “personal space”.” 

“But that’s what Pepper wanted me to do,” Addison said, with a fearful note in her voice. Was she going to be fired for doing her job? Oh, she knew things had been too good to be true. Here was the other shoe dropping smack dab on the top of her head. 

“Yes, but Stark marches to the beat of his own drum, moderately reined in by Pepper. Since he cannot go against Pepper since she would chew him to shreds and is his girlfriend, you’ve unfortunately become the target of his ire,” Natasha commented, as if talking about nothing more than the weather. Her self-assured posture and smooth tone of voice never faltered, even as her eyes took in the agitated stance that Addison had taken. “But other than being generally annoying—a normal occurrence for Stark—you have nothing to fear. Pepper won’t let him fire you over it.” 

Addison didn’t look particularly convinced. Instead, her stomach felt like a black hole that was slowly and methodically swallowing her from the inside out. “I need a drink,” she gasped out, looking very pale. She didn’t want attention. She just wanted to be low key, do her job, and fade in the background. This was not fading in the background. 

“That’s the spirit!” Darcy cheered, slapping her on her shoulder. 

Addison shot her a mild glance, but sighed. Shaking off her worries the best, she turned to the group of women. “So what did Darcy say to con all you into coming here?” She asked, a tiny bit curious. 

“For me, curiosity. I wanted to meet the famous Addy that is featured in some of Darcy’s stories,” Jane admitted, with a smile. Her hair was a gentle brown with hints of blond streaking through it, and she had features that would make Helen of Troy positively green with envy. Sharp features softened by large brown eyes, and a gentle smile. She stood at least five foot six with a perfect ballerina figure, and there was intelligence about her that one could see just by looking at her. 

“Those stories are greatly exaggerated, I assure you,” Addison replied, hurriedly. God only knows what Darcy had been disclosing about her to the rest of them. Probably some of the most embarrassing hijinks that the two of them had ever done. 

“I’m here because I was promised some good Chinese takeout and booze,” Sharon answered, with a lazy smile. “After the long week I’ve had that sounded heavenly.” 

Natasha gave a dismissive flick of her fingers. “I came because Darcy asked, and I wished to see what had gotten underneath Stark’s skin. It’s not every day he is so unraveled,” the red head commented, her tone almost idle. 

Addison had a feeling it was a great deal more than that, but allowed it to slide. No need to make an enemy, and borrow trouble when she could avoid all that. “Well, besides drinks and takeout, there isn’t a lot to offer,” she said, scratching nervously at the side of her neck. 

“Booze, food, and I’ve got a fancy new ipod with lots of music! What more do we need?” Darcy asked, with a wide smile. 

Addison had a feeling she was going to regret this. 

* * *

Alright, maybe she wasn’t going to regret this. 

It had started off not so good, with her anxiety rattling inside of her skull. Though thanks to copious amounts of alcohol, the tension inside of her loosened just enough for her to forget about them for the most part. It also helped that the others were friendly. Well, Natasha was a bit more reserved than Jane or Sharon, but Addison had a feeling that was just her natural state of being. 

“Alright. Alright. I have one,” Darcy took a deep breath, her cheeks flushed from the rich glass of wine she had drunk, and the several shots of tequila that followed. “How…do you make holy water?” 

“What?” Jane snorted then giggled. The scientist was a light weight when it came to liquor. 

Addison looked amused, taking a languid sip from third glass of wine. Sharon’s second glass was halfway gone, but Natasha was nursing hers very carefully, hadn’t even finished her first glass. “How do you make holy water, Darcy?” Addison prompted, biting the inside of her cheek. 

Darcy leaned forward as if she were confiding some great secret. “You…boil the hell out of it.” 

Addison choked, and clasped a hand over her mouth holding back a burst of laughter. 

Sharon blinked with giving a light chuckle. “Wow.” 

Natasha shook her head slowly. “You have been spending way too much time with Clint. His poor taste in humor is rubbing off on you,” the red head commented, a hint of disappointment in her tone. 

“It isn’t the only thing she wants him to be rubbing off on her,” Jane added, mischievously. 

Darcy’s face went beet red, and she elbowed Jane in the ribs. “Jane!” 

“Oh? And here I thought you were going to start a purely carnal relationship with your vibrator? Or have you decided to use this Clint as a substitute?” Addison commented, with a lopsided grin. 

Darcy looked at her with narrowed eyes. “You accuse me of being dirty minded, but you are just as deep in the gutter as I am, sister,” the trigger happy woman declared, chin tilted upward stubbornly. “And no, I have not decided to use Clint—as you so delicately put it—as a substitute.” 

Addison raised a challenging eyebrow. “Do you want to?” 

“Fuck, yes,” Darcy bemoaned, slamming her head down onto the table. 

Natasha clucked her tongue. Clint and Darcy had been dancing around each other for months, and frankly, it was getting annoying. First a while Clint was dating some snobbish intern that was a pale comparison to Darcy while Darcy dated the one guy in the world that was the complete opposite of Clint in nearly every way. Now that they were both free, the two just sat there twiddling their thumbs pretending to be “bros” and “buddies”. The two were obviously in love, but they were in such a state of denial that the Black Widow was about at the point to shove them into a closet with no way out until the two finally gave into their desires. 

“He is hot. He has muscles, but it’s more than that. He’s also kind, cool and geeky in way that I totally understand. He is like the yingy to my yangy, and the worst part is…I don’t know want to do about it,” Darcy admitted, sheepishly. 

“Tie him down to a bed, and teach him a thing or two about riding,” Jane offered her advice, absentmindedly scratching at her red and rosy cheeks. 

Darcy’s eyebrow ticked upward. “Well, Thor’s been obviously broadening your sexual horizons.” 

“He _has,”_ Jane sighed, with a dreamy and satisfied smile upon her lips. 

“You people and your significant others,” Darcy said, in mock disgust. “I suppose you are just as happy and gooey eyed like she is, Sharon?” 

Sharon tilted her head to the side. “I wouldn’t say gooey eyed, but definitely happy and more than plenty of satisfied. My wife gives me little to complain about.” 

“Oh, you’re married?” Addison said, surprised. 

“Yes,” Sharon smiled, brightly. Her fingers reached down at toyed with the diamond ring—the diamond on it was huge and the clarity of it was stunning—set in a simple platinum band. “Nearly a year, in fact.” 

“Does your wife work here?” Addison asked. 

“No. Sadly, she has to travel a lot for her job,” she admitted, with a wistful sigh. The edges of her eyes softened with the longing that only time and distance from a loved one could create, and with a soft shake of her head that bounced her blond curls, she gave a light shrug. “But I don’t regret it. Neither does she. We might not get all the time in the world, but we make the time for each other. That’s what counts.” 

“You are a tougher woman than I. I’m not sure I could handle such a distance between the person I loved and myself,” Addison said, with a sympathetic look. Her heart hurt to even think about being in Sharon’s shoes, and she couldn’t even fully imagine what that must be like. She must really love her wife to endure such time apart. “Not that I have any such person to worry about.” 

“That’s not what I’ve heard,” Jane said, in a singy song voice. 

Addison looked at the scientist. “And what have you heard?” 

“Music time!” Darcy declared, shoving Jane into Sharon with more force than was necessary. Thankfully, Sharon had quick reflexes and anticipated what Darcy was going to do, catching Jane before her forehead could smack right into her side. 

Even as the loud music began to blare throughout the room and the four of them finally started to unpack Addison’s things, Addison was left with a nagging suspicious that Darcy was hiding something from her. But what did it have to do with Jane’s statement? Addison had a horrible feeling that she was going to have to live in fear of a possible matchmaking Darcy, and her wicked plans to set Addison up with some guy. As if her life wasn’t complicated enough. 

She dragged in a rough breath, the music almost too much to bear. She could feel her eyes start to strain, and faint wisps of lights flickered before her gaze. A chill began to spread through the marrow of her bones, and her heart began to pound in her chest. A humming began deep inside of her ear, right up against the eardrum and a cold, damp sweat broke out along her skin. She thought to herself, _No. No, I can ignore it. Just ignore it, and everything will be fine._ Shaking her head, Addison focused her attention entirely on unpacking and forced the music to fade into the background of her mind. Her jaw was clenched tightly, and for several minutes, this worked without faltered. 

Addison felt her scalp prickled uncomfortably, and she looked up after picking up a vase out of a box, to see Natasha standing on the other side of the room with Darcy. She seemed to be talking quietly to Darcy, while handing the dark haired woman dishes out of nearest box, but those green eyes kept looking towards Addison. There was a knot in the back of her throat, and she felt like a fox that had stepped into the path of a rather vicious hound. 

But before the thought could gain more life, Jane let out a shrill squeak. “Oh, it’s a cat! I thought it was…I don’t know what I thought it was, but I didn’t expect to find a cat in one of these boxes!” Jane said, with a breathless laughter. Her hands were up over her cheeks as she watched wide eyed as a big, chunky cat pulled itself out of the cardboard box with a loud meow. 

Ser-Pounce-A-Lot gave Jane a long, nasty stare before he swished his tail dismissively, and walked away from the brunette. The cat was a strange one. He was mostly calico—which were normally female, so he’s a genetic anomaly if there ever was one—all covered in orange and white fur with tuffs of black mixed until midway down his legs. The bottom half of his feet were like a tabby cat, black and grey stripes, making him look like so mismatched. His large orange eyes always had a haunted look in them, like he had seen the end of the world. He also was either aloof and distance, or he was jumpy and hiding his face in a shoe. He thought that putting his face into objects made him invisible. 

For all his spastastic behavior, the cat always knew when she needed comfort and immediately pranced over to her side. He gave a purr as he slid around her ankles in an eight pattern, and she let out a small sigh. “He’s often curled up somewhere he shouldn’t be,” Addison said, managing to let out a sincere chuckle. “It’s not surprising he holed up in one of the boxes. Sorry that he scared you.” 

“Oh, it’s alright. Just wasn’t expecting an animal to be in the kitchenware,” Jane said, fanning her flushed face. That mini heart attack had made her somber up just a little bit. 

Addison gave her cat a long, judgmental stare. “The dishes? You were sleeping with the dishes?” 

Ser-Pounce-a-Lot yowled up at her in his defense. 

“It’s better than sleeping with the fishes,” Darcy joked. 

Jane groaned. “Darcy, I thought your jokes couldn’t get worse, but they just did.” 

“Hey!” Darcy said, offended. 

“I agree with Jane,” Addison told her, unsympathetically. “Your humor is questionable at your most soberest of times, and the alcohol has clearly sent down to depths that I thought wasn’t possible. You are cut off!” 

“You can’t tell me what to do, mom!” Darcy snipped, picking up her ipod. She switched the song to Green Day’s “She’s a Rebel” before grasping the bottle of expensive alcohol, and took off away from Jane who attempted to stop her from chugging it down. 

“Darcy!” Addison rushed forward to help Jane apprehend Darcy. She should have not said anything. A sober Darcy took challenges without batting an eye. A drunk Darcy took challenges, but there was no common sense to keep her from the crash and burn of the aftermath. Clearly, Darcy took Addison’s words as a challenge to get as shit faced as possible. “Put the bottle down!” 

“Viva la revolution!” Darcy crowed, victoriously. She booty bumped Addison out of her way and over the back of the couch. She ignored the curses flung at her, and darted around the coffee table to use it as barrier against Jane. When Addison was on her feet, Darcy took a chance and lunged for the hallway. 

“You are going to regret that in the morning when you have a bitch of a hangover,” Natasha added, unhelpfully and did not even attempt to halt the brunette who fled past her. The red head glanced over at Sharon, and raised an eyebrow when Jane and Addison ran down the hallway in pursuit. “I think everyone was so busy letting Darcy wrangle people up that they keep forgetting one thing…” 

“And what’s that?” Sharon asked, highly amused. She was taking a video for undisclosed purpose at this time, and for her and her wife to laugh at. A little harmless blackmail material was hard to find, and ever useful. 

“Who supposed to wrangle up Darcy when she’s the one creating the chaos?” 

Sharon burst out laughing. 

In the end, the bottle was removed from Darcy’s hands. Without prying it from her “cold, dead fingers” as the saucy brunette claimed they were going to have to do if they wanted it. The potent alcohol hit Darcy and had hit her hard only ten minutes after drinking nearly the rest of the bottle. Jane was fussing with the blanket, wrapping it around Darcy’s shoulder while murmuring under her breath worriedly about ‘alcohol poisoning’. 

Addison with a small smile on her face, in the meantime, searched for the box with her medicine because Darcy was going to have a shitty morning from being so sloshed. And she had a feeling Darcy wouldn’t care an ounce. It had done exactly what the brunette had intended it to, and that was to lighten up Addison’s heart. _You sneaky chit,_ she thought, amused. Darcy was sorely underestimated by everyone around her. She was not only brain smart, but smart in other more observant ways. She had seen Addison’s mood sour, and seized upon the moment to do something spontaneous to drive the shadows away. 

“What are you looking for?” Sharon asked. “I can help.” 

“Medicine for Darcy in the morning,” Addison replied. “I can’t remember if I packed it up with my kitchen stuff or bathroom stuff…” 

Sharon went to go look when Natasha’s words froze the room. “Darcy has some at her place. I’ll leave the bottle by her nightstand after I get here to her apartment safely,” the red headed stated, primly. Her eyes scrutinized her nails for imperfections before they lifted to clash with Addison’s gaze. 

“It’s no hardship to let Darcy sleep in my room,” Addison said, cautiously. She didn’t know why her throat felt so tight all the sudden, or why Natasha’s stare made her skin prickle with apprehension. “I’m hardly going to take advantage of her.” 

“True, but as you said, Darcy is going to have a hard morning. Even harder when she has deal with the Board to discuss further funding for Dr. Foster’s work added on top of her headache,” Natasha said, her voice sounded like it held no judgment. It seemed to fool Sharon and Jane, but Addison felt her stomach twist into a pretzel. “The small comfort of sleeping in your own bed can do wonders. I’m sure it’s a comfort Darcy would appreciate come morning.” 

“I totally forgot about the Director’s Board,” Jane whispered, gnawing on her lower lip. “Yeah. With having to wake up early and get dressed up, Darcy will probably be less cranky if she was in her own apartment. With her coffeepot. Lord knows, she’s going to need coffee.” 

Addison had to fight down the burst of indignation that swelled up in the back of her throat. Natasha’s reasoning sounded reasonable. After all, there was no place like home. Jane was right, too. Darcy loved her coffee, and having to rush out of here in the morning would just be another layer of stress that would be unnecessary. However, it didn’t feel reasonable to her. It felt like Natasha didn’t trust her with Darcy. Like she was _protecting_ Darcy from Addison, and that was the bitter pill that she couldn’t swallow down. And she couldn’t exactly point it out, either. She knew neither Jane nor Sharon well enough for either of them to take her side, and no matter how much it stung, it was a small thing to get worked up about. 

“I suppose the both of you are right,” Addison commented, lightly. She bit back her emotions, and gave Natasha the benefit of the doubt here. Perhaps she was just overprotective of Darcy, and just wanted to make sure that Addison—the old friend—wasn’t here to try and manipulate Darcy. Many people would have. Would have used the past connection—no matter how great or small—to weasel themselves up the ladder, but Addison would never use Darcy like that. And hadn’t. Natasha didn’t know that, and trust was, after all, was earned. She was willing to earn it because she was here for the long haul. “A cranky Darcy is good for no one, least of all herself. Are you sure you can get her to her apartment by yourself?” 

Natasha gave a blink. 

Addison didn’t know if it was her easily compliance, or the small jab at the red head’s strength that managed to get the reaction. It pleased Addison on the pettiest levels of her soul to break the porcelain mask if only for second, but it only made her feel better for a half of a second. She really shouldn’t bait Darcy’s friends, and especially not an assassin. 

With a quirk of her eyebrow, Natasha sauntered past Addison disregarding her like one does a fly on the wall and picked up Darcy bridal style without breaking a sweat. Addison’s eyes widened at the display of superior strength, but realized that it shouldn’t be that shocking. The woman was an Avenger for Christ’s sake. The red headed tossed Addison a tight smile. “I think I can manage,” she stated, her voice polite yet held an edge to it. 

Sharon opened the door, allowing for Natasha to leave. It was the red head’s exit that seemed to cue Sharon and Jane to gather up their belongings. After helping Addison clear up, Jane said, “Well, it was nice hanging out with you, Addison. We’ll have to do it again soon.” 

Addison nodded, mechanically. “Yeah. We should,” she said, with just enough enthusiasm to be believable. She wasn’t sure how much Jane actually meant her words. She was feeling a little jaded by Natasha’s reaction to believe that the scientist wanted to befriend her. After Jane made her way out of the door, Sharon lingered for a long moment with conflicted look on her face. “It was nice to meet you, too, Sha—” 

“Don’t take it personally,” Sharon stated. 

“Huh?” Addison frowned. 

Sharon realized how it sounded, and gave a chagrin smile. “I meant Natasha’s behavior. She protects fiercely, and Darcy is one of those people who fall under her protection. No matter how much Darcy has talked up you up to her, Natasha was always going to be wary,” the blond said, consolingly. “She’ll be less combative once she gets to know you, but until then don’t take it to heart.” 

Addison didn’t really trust her voice. It was unexpected kindness for Sharon to make sure that her feelings weren’t hurt, and she didn’t know what to make of that. Darcy had been the only one in her life that give her kindness without expecting something in return. Her mind whirled trying to think of what motives Sharon had for doing this for her. 

The blond patted her shoulder before she walked out the door, leaving Addison to stand there gaping like a fish. It was only when Ser-Pounce-a-Lot sunk his claws into the tender flesh of her calf that she was jolted back into reality. “Ow! You vicious little snot!” She said, glaring at the cat that daintily licked his front paw. Sometimes, he acted too smug for an animal. 

She shut the door, sealing it with the lock and allowed her emotions to flood over her unrestrained. It was almost cruel how for one moment she felt utterly normal. Like a regular person, just part of the group, only to have that spearheaded by one moment of mistrust. No matter how much she told herself Natasha had good intentions on Darcy’s behalf, or tried to heed Sharon’s words, mortification settled onto her cheeks in a white-hot flush. Her throat felt too tight, and each breath was like rubbing sandpaper down her esophagus. She couldn’t pinpoint why it had struck her so bad. 

Maybe because she had given into the delusion she would be easily accepted here. She knew that wasn’t the way the world worked. She wasn’t that naïve to believe she could win everyone over with a smile, and Darcy to vouch for her. So why did she felt like someone had kicked her puppy? Or cat, seeing how she had a feline and not a dog. 

Grabbing the bottle of tequila that had been from her personal stash, Addison poured her a healthy amount before downing it in one go. _When in doubt, go for the alcohol. Makes everything simpler and numb,_ she thought with a bitter smile. Her face fell into exasperation when Ser-Pounce-a-Lot dropped his bag of treats down at her feet, and gave her a pointed look. “You are spoiled, you know that?” 

Ser-Pounce-a-Lot just started to howl like he was dying of starvation. 

“Alright! Alright! I’ll get you a snack!” She picked up the bag, and sat down on the ground. Pouring three tiny snacks in her hand, she held out her palm for Ser-Pounce-a-Lot to eat off of while her other stroked his fur. “Geez, you are a handful, cat.” _But a very welcomed distraction._

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1.) Natasha’s Humor: Natasha wouldn’t have joked about Darcy needing a wrangler if Jane or Addison were in the room. I believe in my head cannon that Natasha will let her humor shine with Sharon—who she has worked with for years, maybe even helped train—and Darcy who she has taken under her wing. She respects Jane, but doesn’t know her beyond a professional level. Addison is an unknown, and Natasha won’t let her guard down. It was only when Addison and Jane were out of earshot that Natasha allowed this faucet of her personality to be shown, but as the series progress, you’ll get to see how Natasha will warm up to Addison and get the see that progression from wariness to friendship.  
> 2.) Ser-Pounce-a-Lot is based off a stray cat that my sister seen at her work’s parking lot. She really wanted to bring her home because the cat was obviously a pet that had gotten lost, and needed someone to help find it’s owner, but the cat ran away by the time she got off work. She never saw her again, but told me about how strangely beautiful the cat with the mismatched calico/tabby fur was.  
> 3.) Natasha always assumes the worst about a person, and her actions will be more clear later on. On the other side of the coin, Sharon believes the good in people and that’s why she consoles Addison. I imagine that this compassionate side was taught to her by Peggy.  
> 4.) This chapter I wanted to highlight Addison’s issues. It obvious she suffers from depression, social anxiety, and there is a mysterious ailment she is dealing with. *spoilers, can’t tell you what that is* But I wanted to show that she isn’t some Mary Sue that’s going to be instantly loved and adored by everyone. She will have to work on her relationships, and deal with a lot of demons she is holding inside. I wanted you as the readers to really see this person as someone relatable, and I hope that I have done that.


End file.
